Stoker mechanism



June 16, 1931, N. M LOWER STOKER MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 16, 1931. N. M. LOWER STOKER MECHANISM Filed'July 51, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWI Bylaw (T7 ml low/e7 Jun 16, 1931. N, OWER 1,809,904

STOKER MECHANISM Fil J ly 1, 1926 8 sheetssheet 5 June 16, 1931. N. M. LOWER STOKER MECHANISM 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 &

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N. M. LOWER STOKER MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fil y 1926 a Sheets-Sheet s Jae/991602 June 16, 1931. N. ITOWER 1,809,904

STOKER MECHANISM I Filed July 31, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Dal/27 June 16, 1931. v N. LOWE R 3 990 y sToKER MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1926 s sheets-sheet 8 O O O o jZZQ ZZ Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STA TE S PATENT OFFICE NATHAN M1. LOWER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY KESNE ASS'IGN- MENTS, TO THE STANDARD STOKER COMPANY INC., OF NEW YORK, Y., A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE STOKE'R MECHANISM application filed July 31, 1926. Serial No. 126,159.

provision of stoker mechanism with new and improved means for controlling the operation of the same.

Another object of the inventlon 1s the provision of a new and improved stoker in which the motor shaft is in alinement with the fuel conveyor shaft whereby the construction is greatly simplified and the mechanlsm confined to a minimum amount of space.

A further object of the invention is the provision of stoker mechanism with a new and improved clutch construction for connecting the motor to said stoker mechanism whereby the stoker mechanism may be readily reversed, stopped, started and held in neutral position.

Another object of the in ention is the provision of new and improved fuel distributing Y means together with a new and improved arrangement of the distributor mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of new and improved stoker mechanism and arrangement of the parts. of the same that is cheap to manufacture, easily assembled, composed of few moving parts, efiicient in operation, and that is not likely to become deran ed or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of an excavator showing the invention in position thereon, with parts in section and parts bro ken away;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion of the firebox of the excavator showing the invention and bin in plan with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-'-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the engine and clutch mechanism for operating'the stoker;

v Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the engine, control and discharging valves, and connectmg passages;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 1;

tion;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the clutch control device;

Fig. '10 is an elevation of the excavator showing a modified form of the invention, with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

F ig. 12 is an elevation of a portion of the englne and; gear mechanismfor-operating the stoker, parts broken away and parts in sec Fig. 13 is a section on line 1313 of Fig. 10.

The invention is shown by way of example as being employed on an excavator in which 10 designates the frame on which is mounted the power unit or plant 11 comprising the firebox 12 having the conventional fire door opening 9 in one of its walls, and an additional opening 13 adjacent to one corner thereof thru which fuel is delivered by the stokers as will presently appear. Since the steam shovel mechanism may be of the usual or any approved construction the same need not be further described.

A source of fuel supply, as the bin 14, is carried by the frame for containing fuel for the power unit. The fuel is supplied and distributed in the firebox by stoker mechanism, designated generally by the reference char acter 15 which includes a conveyor casing 16 in which is rotatably mounted a screw conveyer 17 The casing 16 may be in the form of a trough having its upper edges provided with grooves in which are slidably mounted cover plates 18, the lowermost plate being provided with a hinged extension 19 whereby access may be readily had to the crusher 21 which is arched over the screw conveyor 17, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The front and side walls 22 of the bin 14 are inclined at their lower portions to direct the fuel into the elevator casing, see Figs. 1 and 11. The rear wall 23 of the bin 14 is provided with an opening 24, see Fig. .1, over which is slidably mounted the gate 25. The gate 25 may be held in adjusted position by the bolt 26 extending through a slot in said vided at each side of the opening 24 between the bin and conveyor for preventing the escape of fuel over the sides of the conveyor.

The conveyor extends downwardly and laterally from the firebox and its upper end is provided with a distributor member 40 that extends laterally-from the conveyor through the opening 13 and into the firebox. That portion of the distributor member 40 from which the fuel leaves the member is termed the forward portion thereof, and the portion of the distributor member 40 remote from the portion from which the fuel leaves the mem- 1 and 2 the conveyor is operated by an oscil:

latin engine 28 the power shaft of which is'. in a inement with the screw conveyor 17 whereby the whole mechanism will begreatly. simplified and will occupy a minimum amount of space. As; shown in Fig. 4, the power shaft 29 of the engine 28 is in alinement with the axis of the screw conveyor 17 and the parts are connected together as by inserting the squared portion 31 in the squared socket 32 in the lower end of the screw conveyor. The power shaft 29 is operated through an oscillating piston 33, sleeve 34 and clutch 35 as will presently appear.

The engine is of the oscillating type and comprises a casing or cylinder 36 in which the iston 33 which is keyed to the sleeve 34 is a apted to oscillate, see Fig. 5. The cylinder 36 is provided with inlet ports or passages 37, 38, 44, and with exhaust ports or passages 39 and 41, all of which are in communication with the cylinder 36.

The mechanism for controlling the supply of steam to the cylinder is showndiagrammatically in Fig. 5 and comprises a control valve 137 and a distributing valve 138.

The distributing valve 138 which controls directly the'ingress andqegress of steam to and from the cylinder 36, comprises a cylinder 42 in which is adapted to reciprocate the piston 43 which is provided with a plurality of heads 40 for opening and closing the various intake. and exhaust ports in a bushing or sleeve 60, which constitutes the inner wall of said cylinder. The ports in the sleeve register with suitable grooves in the cylinder wall as indicated in Fi 5.

The cylimfiar 42 is in communication with the cylinder 36 through the ports or passages 37, 38, 39 and 41. Live steam is supplied to the cylinder 42 of the distributor valve through the passage 44 and the exhaust steam passes from the cylinder 42 through the cored passage 45 and the exhaust passage 46.

The distributing valve is steam-operated be operated by pistoii 48 is provided with a head 57 at each end thereof and ispperated by an arm 49 mounted on the shaft 51 and pivotally engaging said piston. Mounted on the shaft 51 is an operating arm 52, see Fig. 4, which is adapted to be oscillated by the contact member 53 carried by the clutch element 35. The contact member is adapted to engage first one side and the other of the arm 52 for oscillating the same.

Live steam is supplied to the cylinder 47 through the pipes 54, 55 and the cored passages 56. The cored passage 56 is in communication with the cylinder 47 adjacent to each end thereof.

Steam is admitted to thecylinder 42 from the control valve 137 through the passages 58 and 59 and exhaust steam passes from the cylinder 42 through the passages 61 and 62.

When the valves are in the. osition shown in Fig. 5 steam is entering, t e cylinder 36 through the passage 44, cylinder 42 and passage 38 and is being exhausted through the passage 39, cylinder 42, passages 45 and 46. Steam is entering the cylinder 47 of the control vave 137 through the passages 54, 55 and '56 to the right end of the piston 57 and from thence through the passage 59 into the left end of the cylinder42 to move the piston 43 to the right end'ofthe. cylinder 42' for opening the inlet ports.of the cylinder 36..

The exhaust steam in the cylinder 42 has passed through the passage '62, cylinder 47 and passages 590 and 45 into the main ex haust passage 46. The exhaust passages are closed immediately before the piston reaches the end ofits stroke in order to prevent the escape of live steam through the exhaust passages during the power stroke of the piston.

It is desirable that means be provided for controlling the operation of the conveyor and for adjusting the mechanism so that the conveyor may operate at any desired speed, and

to so construct the parts that the speed may l be varied-during the operation of the device. I

In the form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of this feature an oscililating column of liquidis employed for this purpose. As shown the piston 43 of the distributing valve 42 is provided at its ends withextensions 63 and 64, respectively, which are adapted to engage-corresponding bores 65 and 66'provided in the ends of the cylinder 42. A passage 67 connects the outer ends of the bores 65 and 66. This passage is adapted to be filled with fluid such as water, and is in communication with the steam pipe 54 by meansof the pipe 68. A check valve 69 is provided in the pipe 68 for preventing the fluid in the pipe 67 from escaping into the steam pipe 54. By means of this arrangement suificient steam will enter the pipe 67 to compensate for any loss of the fluid in said pipe. A needle valve 71 is provided in the pipe 67 for restricting the flow of the fluid through said pipe. I

. In the operation of the device, when the piston 43"moves to the end of its cylinder it will force the fluid in that end through the pipe 67 into the oppositeend of the cylinder. The oscillation of the column of liquid through the pipe 67 will therefore control the movement of the valve 43. By adjusting the valve 71 this movement can be increased or decreased at the will of the operator, which in turn will control the speed of the motor as well as that of the conveyor.

Suitable clutch mechanism is provided for operatively connecting the engine to the conveyor. The sleeve 34 which is oscillatably mounted in the engine casing as by the antifriction bearings 72 has its outer end enlarged as at 73 and counterbored to form the outer member of a clutch. A cam member 74 keyed to the shaft 29 forms the inner member of the clutch, see Figs. 4 and 7. The member 74 is preferably oval in form and when assembled it is within the bore of the clutch member 73. The members 73 and 74 of the clutch are adapted to be operatively connested together by two pairs of balls 75 and 76. Each pair of balls is adapted to be forced apart by a spring 77. The means for moving the balls into clutching operation is shown in Fig. 9 and comprises a bifurcated clutch control member 78 having the fingers 80 and 90 between which the balls 75 and 76 are con-- fined, asclearly shown in Fig. 7. The clutch control member 78 is mounted on the shaft 29' and the fingers 80 and 90 extend between the two clutch members 7 3 and 74 in engagement. with'the two pairs of balls. The inner clutch member '7 4 is provided with radial projections 79 which are adapted to engage inclined slots 81 in the fingers 80 and 90 of the member 78 whereby when the control member 78 is moved outwardly, for instance, it will be caused to rotate, thereby moving the balls into clutching position for turning'the shaft 29 in one direction, and when moved inwardly it will be rotated in the opposite direction and will cause the other balls to drive the shaft 29 in the opposite direction.

. 'Suitablemeans are provided for movingthe clutch control device 78 longitudinally of the shaft 29 and for maintaining the same in adjusted position. As shown a lever 82 pivoted at 83 is provided at its lower end with a yoke 84 which is adapted to engage a collar 85 on the end of the member 78. The shaft 29 is provided with three grooves 86 which are adapted to be engaged by spring-pressed pawls87 for holding the member 78 in positi on for driving the shaft 29 either forwardly or backwardly, and when in the central groove 1 follows. Referring to Figs, 4 and 7, assuming that the outer clutch member 73 is moving clockwise, the friction between said clutch member and one of the balls of each pair will wedge the balls between the inner and outer clutch member and cause the inner clutch member 74 to rotate with the outer member 73. When the outer clutch member 73 moves counterclockwise the balls 76 will be prevented from wedging between the inner and outer clutch members 73 and 74 by the fingers and 90, and the balls 75 will be moved toward the balls 76 against the tension of the spring 77 out of clutching position. If, now, the top of the lever82 be moved toward the left in Fig. 4, the member 78 will be rotated to a position'in which none of the balls Will be permitted to become wedged between the inner and outer clutch members, and consequently the shaft 29 and the conveyor will be at rest during the oscillation of the sleeve 34. If the top of the lever 82 be moved still farther toward the left so that the.

spring-pressed pawls 87 engage the innermost groove 86, the member 78 will be rotated farther into a position in which the balls 76 will become wedged between the inner and outer clutch members when the outer clutch member 73 moves counterclockwise.

Suitable means are provided for projecting the fuel into the firebox. As shown, the distributor member 40 which is preferably though not necessarily in the form of a tube with a more or less flat bottom terminating in a distributor plate 91, extends laterally from the conveyor casing 16 through the opening 13 in the back wall of the firebox. The fuel will be conveyed from the coalreceptacle or Each of the pipes 94 is provided with a valve 95 for controlling thesupply of steam to the nozzles 92. By manipulating the valves 95 a directional effect may -be given the steam blasts through the nozzles 92.

The fuel may be forced by the screw conveyor 17 on to the plate 91 in front of the nozzles 92, but, if desired, a pusher member 96 (see Fig. 6) may be employed for assisting in pushing the fuel on to the said plate. The pusher member 96 is reci'procated back and forth longitudinally of the distributor member 40 by any suitable mechanism. As shown, the pusher member 96 is reciprocated byan engine 97 which comprises a cylinder 98 having the piston 99 therein. A piston rod 100 may be connected directly with thepusher member 96. The ends of the cylinder are referably provided with resilient plates 101 .or cushioning the stroke of the piston 99. The cylinder 98 is supplied by steam in any suitable manner in timed relation to the operation of the conveyor screw 17 As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a passa e 102 is in communication with the left end 0 the cylinder 98 and withthe intake passage 38 of the cylinder 36, and a passage 103 is in communication with the op osite end of the cylinder 98 and with the ot er intake passage 37 of the cylinder 36. Exhaust passages 104 and 105 are'in communication with the inner and outer ends of the cylinder 98 and with exhaust passages 41 and 39 respectively of the cylinder 36. The parts are so arranged that when the piston 33 of the cylinder 36 moves counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5,

to rotate the screw conveyor 17 for elevating the fuel, steam will simultaneously enter behind the piston 99 and move the same toward the left in Fig. 6 for pushing the fuel forwardly on to the plate 91 in front of the nozzles 92, and when the piston 33 moves in the opposite direction steam will be admitted at the left end of the cylinder 98 to move the piston '99 toward the right.

In Figs. 10,11, 12 and 13 a modified form the opening 13 adjacent one corner thereof, it is understood the arrangement maybe otherwise.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a stoker mechanism, a fuel conveyor,

a steam engine for operatin said conveyor,

valve mechanism for contro ling the su ply of steam to said en ine, a distributor p ate,

a pusher member or delivering fuel onto said plate, a steam engine for reciprocating said member, and means whereby the supply of steam to said last named engine is controlled by said valve mechanism.

2. In a stoker, a distributor member, dis tributor means for projecting fuel forwardly from said member, mechanism for delivering fuel to said member outside of the zone of ac tion of said means, a fluid pressure operated motor for operating said mechanism, and means operated by the exhaust from said m0- tor for moving said fuel alon said member to a position wlthin the zone 0 action of said distributor means.

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

NATHAN M. WER.

of construction is disclosed, in which a reciprocating engine is employed for operating the stoker mechanism. As shown in said figures, the conveyor casing 106 is substantially the same shape as the corresponding casing 16 of the device previously described. A conveyor screw 107 is provided for conveying fuel from the bin 14 to the firebox 11 as in the previous construction. In this form of the device the conveyor screw operating shaft 108 is provided with a gear 109 which meshes with a rack bar 110 reciprocated by the engine 111. Clutch mechanism 112 whlch may be substantially the same as that disclosed in Lower Patent No. 1,363,333 of December 28, 1920 is employed for intermittently rotating the con veyor screw 107 clockwise for transferring the fuel.

Suitable valve mechanism 113 which may be the same as that-disclosed in the above 7 mentioned patent is employed for controlling.

the operation of the en ine 111. This valve 1s provided with suita le lever mechanism 114 for manually controlling the operation 

